New tenant at 555 City Center

Cambridge Systematics, Inc. signed a 10-year lease for almost half of the 16th floor of 555 City Center, Oakland's newest high-rise office building.

The company will move about 30 employees in March to its new 11,000-square-feet office leaving 1300 Clay St., which is also part of the City Center complex owned by Shorenstein Co.

Cambridge Systematics, headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., is a consulting firm providing planning, policy and management services and products to the public and private transportation industries.

"Our company has grown steadily over the past seven years here at City Center. This past year has been the best in our history in terms of revenue growth and profitability," Cambridge Systematics Vice President Steve Pickrell said. "We needed to significantly expand our space to provide adequate working facilities for our current staff as well as room for future growth."

He added that he had no desire to leave City Center because of its proximity to his company's client base and the airport and freeways Greg Chovanes of BT Commercial in Oakland handled the lease transaction for Cambridge Systematics, Inc. and John Dolby, vice president of leasing for Oakland City Center, represented Shorenstein Realty Services.